Plagiarism: Examination of Conceptual Issues and Evaluation of Research Findings on Using Detection Services

Year 2013, Volume: 4 Issue: 3, 212 - 221, 01.09.2013

Angelos Konstantinidis Dimitra Theodosiadou Christos Pappos

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to analyze and evaluate the research findings on using Plagiarism Detection Services (PDS) in universities. In order to do that, conceptual issues about plagiarism are examined and the complex nature of plagiarism is discussed. Subsequently, the pragmatic forms of student plagiarism are listed and PDS strategies on detecting plagiarism are accounted briefly. Research findings are categorized into four interconnected areas: (a) effectiveness and efficiency of PDS; (b) university and course context; (c) perceptions and attitudes towards use of PDS from educators; and (d) perceptions and attitudes towards use of PDS from students. Finally, the authors discuss their own perspective on the issue of implementing PDS in various educational contexts.

Keywords

Plagiarism detection services, Plagiarism forms, Plagiarism prevention, Academic integrity, Perceptions about plagiarism.

References

• Anderson, I. (2009). Avoiding plagiarism in academic writing. Nursing Standard, 23(18), 35-37.
• Atkinson, D. & Yeoh, S. (2008). Student and staff perceptions of the effectiveness of plagiarism detection software. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 24(2), 222-240.
• Badge, J.L., Cann, A.J., & Scott, J. (2007). To cheat or not to cheat? A trial of the JISC Plagiarism Detection Service with biological sciences students. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 32(4), 433-439.
• Badge, J. & Scott, J. (2009). Dealing with plagiarism in the digital age. School of Biological Sciences, University of Leicester. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://evidencenet. pbworks.com/f/Badge_Scott_plagiarism.pdf
• Barrett, R. & Malcolm, J. (2006). Embedding plagiarism education in the assessment process. International Journal for Educational Integrity, 2(1), 38-45. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from: http://www.ojs. unisa.edu.au/index.php/IJEI/article/viewFile/23/18
• Bilic-Zulle, L., Azman, J., Frkovic, V., & Petrovecki, M. (2008). Is There an Effective Approach to Deterring Students from Plagiarizing? Science and Engineering Ethics, 14, 139-147.
• Bouville, M. (2008). Plagiarism: Words and Ideas. Science and Engineering Ethics, 14, 311-322.
• Braumoeller, B.F. & Gaines, B.J. (2001). Actions do speak louder than words: Deterring plagiarism with the use of plagiarism-detection software. Political Science & Politics, 34, 835-839.
• Bretag, T. & Mahmud, S. (2009). A model for determining student plagiarism: Electronic detection and academic judgment. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 6(1), Article 6. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article= 1076&context=jutlp
• Burg, B., Gilroy, S., Heath, K., Herron, J., Jehn, T., Orbán, K., Rosenzweig, J., Ryan ,S., Sommers, N., Sutherland, S., & Zakarin, B. (2007). Writing with Internet Sources, Expository Writing Program, Harvard College, USA. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://isites.harvard. edu/fs/docs/icb.topic500638.files/Writing_with_Internet_Sources.pdf
• Center for educational resources (2006). Deterring and detecting plagiarism with Turnitin.com. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.cer.jhu.edu/pdf/turnitintips.pdf
• Carbone, N. (2002). Re: a Rebuttal of Turnitin.com. Strategies for Teaching with Online Tools 1 February 2002. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/ technotes/ hccworkshop/missedplagiarism.htm
• Chester, G. (2001). Pilot of free-text plagiarism detection software: A report prepared for the joint information systems committee. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.jisc. org.uk/media/ documents/programmes/plagiarism/pilot.pdf
• DeVoss, D., & Rosati, A.C. (2002). “It wasn’t me, was it?” Plagiarism and the Web. Computers and Composition, 19, 191-203.
• Evans, R. (2006). Evaluating an electronic plagiarism detection service: The importance of trust and the difficulty of proving students don't cheat. Active Learning in Higher Education, 7, 87-100.
• Fine, P. (2003, November 28) Student aims to catch cheats, Times Higher Education Supplement. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/ story.asp? storyCode= 185263&sectioncode=26
• Goddard, R. & Rudzkiy, R. (2005). Using an Electronic Text-Matching Tool (Turnitin) to Detect Plagiarism in a New Zealand University. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 2(3), Article 7. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/ viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=jutlp
• Green, D., Lindemann, I., Marshall, K., & Wilkinson, G. (2005). Student Perceptions of a Trial of Electronic Text Matching Software: A Preliminary Investigation. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 2(3), Article 4. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://ro. uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=jutlp
• Grover, D. (2003). The use of correlation techniques to detect plagiarism. Computer Law & Security Report, 19(1), 36-38.
• Hayes, N. (2009, January 29). A cheat, moi? That’s unfair. Times Higher Education Supplement. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp? sectioncode=26& storycode=405187
• Johnson, D., Patton, R., Bimber, B., Almeroth, K., & Michaels, G. (2004). Technology and plagiarism in the university: Brief report of a trial in detecting cheating. AACE Journal, 12(3), 281-299.
• Ledwith, A., & Rísquez, A. (2008). Using anti-plagiarism software to promote academic honesty in the context of peer reviewed assignments, Studies in Higher Education, 33(4), 371- 384.
• Martin, I., Stubbs, M., & Troop, H. (2006). Weapons of mouse destruction: a 3D strategy for combating cut-and-paste plagiarism using the JISC Plagiarism Advisory Service. In: 2nd International Plagiarism Conference, 19-21 June 2006, Gateshead, UK. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://oro.open.ac.uk/2328/1/3Dplagiarism4JISC.pdf
• McKeever, L. (2006). Online plagiarism detection services-saviour or scourge? Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(2), 155-165.
• Mottley, J. (2004). Is Google suitable for detecting plagiarism? Learning and Teaching Support Network Bioscience, 12, 6-7. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.bioscience. heacademy. ac.uk/resources/bulletin.aspx
• Mulcahy, S. & Goodacre, C. (2004). Opening Pandora's box of academic integrity: Using plagiarism detection software. In Beyond the comfort zone: Proceedings of the 21st ASCILITE Conference (pp. 688-696). Perth, 5-8 December. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www. ascilite.org.au/conferences/perth04/procs/mulcahy.html
• O’Regan, K. (2006). Policing - or, at Least, Policying - Plagiarism at one Australian University. Journal of University Teaching & Learning Practice, 3(2), Article 5. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=jutlp
• Park, C. (2003) In Other (People’s) Words: plagiarism by university students--literature and lessons, Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28(5), 471-488.
• Park, C. (2004). Rebels without a clause: towards an institutional framework for dealing with plagiarism by students. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 28(3), 291-306.
• Savage, S. (2004). Staff and student responses to a trial of Turnitin plagiarism detection software. Proceedings of the Australian Universities Quality Forum 2004. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.indiana.edu/~tltc/technologies/savage.pdf
• Schemo, D. (2001, October 5). University of Virginia hit by scandal over cheating. The New York Times. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/10/us/u-of- virginia-hit-by-scandal-over-cheating.html
• Sutherland-Smith, W. & Carr, R. (2005). Turnitin.com: Teachers perspectives of anti-plagiarism software in raising issues of educational integrity. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 2(3). Article 10. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://ro.uow.edu. au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1037&context=jutlp
• Townley, C. & Parsell, M. (2004). Technology and academic virtue: Student plagiarism through the looking glass. Ethics and Information Technology, 6, 271-277.
• Warn, J. (2006). Plagiarism software: No magic bullet Higher Education Research and Development, 25, 195-208.
• Whittle, S.R. & Murdoch-Eaton, D. G. (2008). Learning about plagiarism using Turnitin detection software. Medical Education, 42(5), 528-528.
• Wojtas, O. (1999, September 3). Students asked for cheat alert. Times Higher Education Supplement.
• Woolls, D. (1999, September 3) Computer programs can catch out copycat students, Times Higher Education Supplement. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www. timeshighereducation.co.uk.ezproxy.webfeat.lib.ed.ac.uk/story.asp?storyCode=147819 &sectioncode=26
• Yale University (2009). Common knowledge. Yale College Office of Web Strategy & Utilization, New Haven, USA. Retrieved on 10 may 2013 from http://www.yale.edu/bass/writing/ sources/ plagiarism/ common.html
• Yilmaz, I. (2007). Plagiarism? No, we’re just borrowing better English. Nature, 449, 658.
• Correspondence: Angelos Konstantinidis, Directorate of Secondary Education of Drama,
• Diikitirio, Drama, Greece